Research various forms of transportation used during the Cherokee Removal | P18AS00626

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00626

The Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS) offered a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Research various forms of transportation used during the Cherokee Removal" (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00626). Structured as a cooperative agreement, the project was designed to support historical and cultural resource research connected to the Cherokee Removal, with a specific emphasis on identifying and documenting the different transportation methods used during that period. The work sits within the Natural Resources funding activity category and is associated with CFDA 15.945, a program area that commonly supports NPS resource stewardship, research, and interpretation efforts.

The proposed effort was framed as a collaborative project involving the NPS National Trails Intermountain Region and the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Center for Historic Preservation. Under this partnership approach, project personnel were expected to conduct hands-on archival and collections-based research by traveling to a range of state and national libraries and museums. The core research tasks included locating relevant primary and secondary materials, collecting copies or images where permitted, photographing items as appropriate, and building an organized catalogue of the materials gathered. In practical terms, that means the grant supported not just reading and note-taking, but systematic documentation and creation of an accessible body of evidence that could be referenced by NPS staff, researchers, and potentially future projects.

In addition to the research phase, the opportunity required several concrete deliverables aimed at both preservation and public education. The project team was expected to compile a final report synthesizing findings and documenting the collected source materials. Another major deliverable was the preparation of National Register nominations, indicating the project anticipated identifying historically significant sites or resources connected to the removal-era transportation story that might be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Finally, the project included production of a 20-page interpretive booklet written for a general public audience, translating the research into an accessible format suitable for education and outreach, and aligning with NPS goals of interpreting nationally significant historical events through clear, engaging materials.

Eligibility for the opportunity included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, along with other applicants as allowed under the opportunity's additional eligibility language. The award ceiling was set at $60,000, establishing the maximum anticipated federal share for a single award under the announcement. The opportunity was created on September 4, 2018, with an original closing date of September 14, 2018, reflecting a short application window typical of some targeted cooperative agreement announcements. The notice listed expected awards as 0, which can indicate that the posting functioned as a specific or restricted announcement, that awards were contingent on factors not finalized at the time of posting, or that the number of awards was not being committed publicly in the synopsis.

Overall, the grant opportunity focused on building a well-documented historical record of how the Cherokee Removal was carried out logistically, then turning that documentation into preservation actions (National Register nominations) and a clear public-facing product (a 20-page interpretive booklet). The emphasis on collaboration with NPS and a university-based preservation center, combined with requirements for cataloguing and interpretive publishing, signals a project intended to produce usable, durable outputs rather than a purely academic study.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research various forms of transportation used during the Cherokee Removal" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 04, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 14, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $60,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for P18AS00626

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